Beritan Sarya: The eyes and ears of the Syrian people are on Imrali

2025-09-05 13:30:14


	 

	 

	Derya Ren

	 

	NEWS CENTRE - Assessing developments in North and East Syria and across Syria as a whole, journalist Beritan Sarya said, "Right now, the eyes and ears of North and East Syria, Eşrefiye and Şex Maksut neighbourhoods are on Imrali."

	 

	On 8 December 2024, the 53-year-old Baath regime in Syria collapsed with the support of imperial powers, and power was handed over by the same powers to a new religious, nationalist and authoritarian regime led by Ahmed al-Shara, leader of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). With these shifting balances, the entire Middle East, particularly Syria, is being redesigned through the Israel-Hamas and Iran-Israel wars and the intervention of certain powers. As a result of these redesign efforts, the interim Damascus government carried out massacres against the Alawites and Druze.

	 

	Along with these massacres, other peoples living in Syria, like those in North and East Syria, raised their demand for autonomous administration more strongly, while the Alawite and Druze peoples, inspired by the self-defence forces formed by the Autonomous Administration, established their own organisations.

	 

	Journalist Beritan Sarya, who is working on this issue in North and East Syria, answered our agency's questions.

	 

	*How should we assess the developments in Syria? What do these events portend?

	 

	Since December 8, HTS has been attempting to take control of Syria. They launched an offensive on November 27. On one front, HTS and SNA forces under Turkish control have attempted to advance into the Shehba-Minbic Autonomous Administration areas. Minbic was occupied as a result of these attacks. They also attacked Tishreen-Qaraqozax. However, tremendous resistance was shown there by the YPJ and QSD forces under the leadership of the YPJ and QSD.

	 

	On January 8, the people supported this resistance, and a de facto ceasefire came into effect until the end of April. This was related to the call initiated by leader Abdullah Öcalan. The call was for the democratic and peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue and the democratization of Kurdistan, the Middle East, and Turkey. This also affected Syria, of course.

	 

	In March, the QSD and the interim Damascus government reached an eight-point agreement. However, the interim Damascus government has delayed the implementation of this agreement until now. This agreement requires further development by committees and commissions to be established later.

	 

	Syria's democratization was discussed based on the development of stability and peace. Throughout the process, however, we witnessed noncompliance with these agreements, particularly by HTS and Turkey. This agreement was made hastily. There were things before that, but it was rushed to coincide with the process.

	 

	However, the reason the Autonomous Administration took sides was the necessity of entering into a political solution process in Syria. The war had been going on for 13-14 years, society was exhausted, and there had been massacres.

	 

	*How should we assess the failure to implement the March 10 agreement between the Damascus government and Mazlum Ebdi?

	 

	As soon as the current government came to power, it began massacring Alawites and Druze. The agreement prioritized stopping these massacres and bringing those responsible to justice. The agreement was based on democratizing Syria and ensuring that all peoples, ethnic groups, communities, and women, especially the Kurds, gained their rights. Another clause was based on the unity and integrity of Syria. However, the Alawite massacre that began on December 8 turned into a genocide between March 6 and 12.

	 

	 In other words, this agreement reduced the scale of the massacres in the diplomatic arena due to pressure from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria. Before the agreement, North and East Syria experienced daily attacks, but during that period, the attacks ceased.

	 

	However, in the last 15-20 days, there have been significant developments in the area. UAV attacks have increased, with at least five attacks taking place. Turkey has carried out two UAV attacks around the Tishreen Dam in recent days. Heavy weapons attacks were carried out on Til Temir and Til Leben. Meanwhile, Şex Maksut and Eşrefiye, where Kurds live in large numbers, are currently under HTS siege. 

	 

	After the 10 March agreement, an agreement was reached on 1 April between the Şex Maksut and Eşrefiye People's Councils and the Colani administration. According to this agreement, Colani forces would not enter the neighbourhoods, YPG-YPJ forces would leave the area, and defence would be provided by internal security forces. 

	 

	However, this agreement has been violated in recent developments. At least 60 points have been established around both neighbourhoods, and forces have been amassed in the area. They are entering the buffer zones and carrying out harassing fire. As was the case during the Assad period, attempts are being made to impose fuel and food embargoes on both neighbourhoods.

	 

	Despite this, the morale of the people is high. They have the ability to respond strongly to any possible attack. Right now, the eyes and ears of North and East Syria, the neighbourhoods of Eşrefiye and Şex Maksut, are on İmralı. 

	 

	This is because Abdullah Öcalan, the architect of the Rojava Revolution, is a man who has contributed greatly to both Rojava and Syria. He has developed relationships with Kurds, Syriacs, Armenians, Arabs, Druze, Alevis... all of them. The people embrace Öcalan's ideas and see him as their leader.

	 

	The massacres targeting Suwayda persist. The city remains under siege. There is a shortage of food, water, and medicine. However, there is a struggle on the ground. With Turkey's planning and encouragement, the HTS Damascus administration wants to establish a despotic regime. They have formed what they call a parliament. 

	 

	Immediately after the March 10 Agreement, they drafted a constitution and decided to hold elections for a provisional Damascus government. However, it was announced that Northern and Eastern Syria and the Druze would not be included in the elections.

	 

	Naturally, the people do not want to participate in such a charade. ISIS attacks continue. There have been over 140 attacks in recent days. Internal security forces and the QSD have launched an operation against ISIS in Haseke.

	 

	 Currently, there is both military and political tension on the ground. These are indeed the footsteps of war, and the drums of war are deliberately being beaten to break the will to resist. The people have been at war for years, gaining great experience and paying a high price. They will not give in to such threats.

	 

	*A delegation led by Ilham Ehmed, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, travelled to Damascus. What was discussed during these meetings, and what are your observations?

	 

	It was stated that a delegation led by Ilham Ehmed, Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, went to Damascus. There had already been a deadlock in the talks for a long time.

	 

	Damascus and Turkey are the ones blocking these talks. The latest negotiations were to be held in Paris, with France acting as guarantor, the US and UK participating as observers, and officials from the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, QSD officials, and representatives of the interim Damascus government attending. 

	 

	However, this was prevented by Turkey's intervention in Damascus. There has been no press statement regarding what was discussed in the talks. However, I believe that the implementation of the agreement is fundamental to opening the way for negotiations.

	 

	*What is the reaction of the autonomous administration and the Druze to the decision taken by the Damascus interim government?

	 

	The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, the Druze resisted despite the attacks. Despite being under siege, the Druze formed their own councils, committees and political administrations. Their military forces have united and are forming a national force.

	 

	These are important developments; the people are not surrendering. On the one hand, they are establishing their own systems. On the other hand, they are connecting with each other. Most recently, the Alawites established the Political Council of Central and Western Syria (PCCWS). Some of those involved in this formation are abroad, but some are inside Syria; however, due to the current massacres and oppression, they may not be revealing their names. 

	 

	They also want decentralisation. No matter what threats Damascus and Turkey make, they will not surrender. If the current impositions continue, the current situation will turn into war and conflict. No one is without alternatives or defenceless. A revolution has developed that gives hope to the people and women, a revolution that has proven itself, like the Rojava revolution.

	 

	We have seen the approaches of the US and other powers. Individuals who have committed such crimes and who possess the ISIS mentality have been brought into power. Immediately afterwards, they began rushing to Damascus one by one. They made demands on the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria in order to legitimise it. 

	 

	The political and military process that has developed in Syria, especially since 27 November, is very instructive. But of course, in this process, we have also seen Leader Öcalan's tremendous foresight, his determination, his intellectual and practical creativity in defending the peoples and women. In that sense, we also carry its morale.